The multi-million pound school in Burnley Road, Padiham, will open for pupils in September, but has been described as an "eyesore" and a "monstrosity" by Padiham people who have watched its progress.

The school is the first to be built under the £250m. Building Schools for the Future programme.

Mrs Carol Stinton, a former governor of Gawthorpe High School, said: "I welcomed the building of a new school, but I'm disappointed by how it's taking shape. It has no character at all and is a lot nearer the roadside than I originally thought. It just looks like a grey block and has no style at all. It certainly doesn't look like a school."

Former Padiham resident Mrs Sue Plunkett described it as "grey, uninspiring and ugly". She said: "I think it's horrendous and very ugly, especially compared to the old Gawthorpe building. When it was first going up I thought it would look nice, but it has certainly not developed that way. I think it's awful."

Landlord of the Grove pub in Hargrove Avenue, Mr Kevin Schofield, had mixed feelings on the new school saying he would not want to look out of his window at it.

He added: "I don't think it is particularly nice to look at, but if it improves the education of local children then so be it. Only time will tell."

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